Planter



Nov. 6, 1928.

H. B. BONEBRIGHT PLANTER Filed March 26., 192'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ms n. \wx Q\ wk v v l LY.

ed March 26, 1927 H. B: BQNEBRIGHT PLANTER Nov. 6, 1928.

Nov. 6, 1928.

H. B. BON EBRIG HT PLANTER Filed March 26, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 provide a device of this character embodying Patented Nov. 6, 1928.

mam nqmaa aa OiiQ nno-Qa M -wire,

ru wa- Applieation filed March 26, 1927, Serial No. 17;? 28;

( E!:"I i "fi the pot-ates tliaflthe sections of one "potato' may be space-planted, with respect to the sections of'a second: potato a A further object. of the lnvention is to knives for subdividing the "potatoesda nd means for operating the'knives, vvhereby these knives are disinfected after each cut ting operation to insure against transferof d isejase's front one potato to" another; y A further object "of 'theunvention is to provide :11 novel a nd 'iinp'rove'd rnecl1anism' for cutting the potatoes.

' A'still further object of the invention is to provide. mechanisn'i forfeeding the cut potato sections to a planting shoe ofsueh character that a space maybe provided'be tween the ak ljac'ent sections or' not, as is def sired i These and other objects I attain bythe construction shown inthe accompanying drawings, Wherein fort he purpose of illus- ,tration' is shown a' preferred embodiriient of;

my invention and wherein Figure 1 is aplan VlGW'OfjZI potato planter constructed in accordance with my invention Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof, one' Wall heing remov'ed;

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan of the distributer and. knife mechanism Figure 4 is a section on the line 44.of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a transverse sectional View through the distributer; i Z a Figure 6 is a plan of the control shaft; Figure 7 is a section on the line 77 of- Figure'G; 5 Figure 8 is a section on tl1e'line8-8 of Figure 1.

Referring now more particularly tothe drawings, the numeral 10 generally desig nates a main framehaving'atongue11,

whereby "it niay' 'be drawn and having seat mountings 12 and '13 at the front and rear ends thereof; The frame PIOVIdQS'bQQIIDgS 14 for an axle 15, one end of which has *a' supporting heel 16 secured thereto and the,

' blade q jacent it opposite 'end' of which has a supporting' Wheel 171i-etambiy mouiaed thereon." The ax'l'e' 15 has secured thereto; a sprocket "18 connected hya' chain 19-with a sprocket 2 0- rot'atably rhounted upon a transversely ex tending shaft '21 carried by" hearings supp rted' from "the forward end of the frame. Associated" with the gear'20 is a shipper clu't'ch22 normallymaintained in engaged positionby a spring-23. 'Svvung] from the frame lOi's a planting shoe orfui'i'ow opener 24 Iho'vable into "and out of engagement with the ground through suitable connections with, a lever Link and lever connections; generally designated at26, between the lever" 25 and the shifting fork 2'7 o'fthe clutch 22; disengage the clutch from the gear, as'the v shoe24e islifted from the ground, thus stopping operation of'tlie remaining mechanism; which is 'co'ntrolled'froin the shaft 21, as Will hereinafter more clearly appear. 4 "Supported; from the frame adjacent the, rear 'endthereofand rotating horizontally is a disk28. Thisdislihas hollow hub; which is surrounded by a spring-pressed; handbrake 29,'Whi'c'h resists rotation of' the disk. The disk 28 and its hub have an axial, opening 30, in which is rotatably engaged a shaft3l, the'upper end of \vl'1ichisp'rovi d'- ed with an angular arm 32ioverlying the disk. and, havinga Withcircuinferentially' spaced teeth 34 can ried by thedi'sk 28 and the anti 32 is actuatedthrough a link connection 35*tvith aerank'36' secured to the shaft shaft, the disk; 28 is given a step bystep' rotation With relatively long dwells between" the'steps' A Arranged beneath the disk and slightly to; one side thereof is i tain.adisinfectingsolution. A track '38,, in the arm: of an interruptedannulus, is a r ranged, 'so that its opposite endsare adjacent the'tank37 and it is in surrounding relation to the disk 38, but-arranged slightly below the level of radialpins 39 carried "by the Pi'v'ote'd t a h P iw e'p s i freeend, has "a.

cutting cross arm 41 so that a potatodriven '21. By rotation of the I a tank 37' adapted to con upon the blade atth'e junction of the" cros's arm, will be"subdivijded into four sectionsf" These blades, during the m jer portion" of the rotation of thedisk "28, ride upodthe tracks 38. "Arriving at the end of the track 38, they fallyby gravity, into the-tank 37, and reinain theieiii for the ClIlIRt lOllOf one period knives after the blow has been struck and ing the hand between steps of the rotation of the disk. As the next succeeding step is taken, they come into engagement with a bumper 42 formed upon one end of the track 38 and are elevated thereby, so that they can ride upon the track The edge of the tank adjacent that end of the track provided with the bumper 42, is preferably provided with a drip board 48 underlying the end of the blade, when elevated, and upon which any surplus disinfectant will drip and be returned to the tank 37. 'The blade remains in position over this drip board for the period intermediate to rotative steps of the disks.

Supported from the frame above themechanism just described is a suitable hopper H, in which the potatoes which are to be planted will be disposed.v In this hopper, the potatoes are conveniently located for access by an occupant of the seat 13 and as each blade 40 arrives at the position A, the operator removes the potato from the hopper and places it upon the knife with suflicient force to cause the potato to cling thereto. WVhen the disk makes its next step, the potato so placed is moved beneath a plunger 44 having cross slots 45 in its face corresponding to the arrangement of the knife blades 40 and 41. This plunger is carried by the outer end of a lever as mounted upon a horizontal pivot 47 supported from the frame. This pivot is in the form of a rock shaft having arms 48 and 49 connected by a spring 50, with the forwardend of the lever a6 and by a link 51 with a hand lever 52, respectively. It will be obvious that by shiftlever 52 to different positions, the tension of the spring may be regulated and thus the force with which the plunger 4.4L

7 tends to engage the potato may be regulated.

Pivoted to the forward end of the lever and depending therefrom is a rod 53', the low er end of which has a threaded adjustment 5e providing a seat for aspring 55.- The spring 55 operates as a rebound spring and tends to depress the forward end of the lever a6 sufliciently to disengage the plunger from the thus permit the next step of rotation of the disk 28. The lever 46 extends over a- .cam 56 secured to the shaft 21 and accordingly rises and falls one for each rotation of this shaft.

The operation of the mechanism just described isas follows: As the shaft 21 rotates, a step by step rotation is imparted to the disk, which intermittently advances the knife blades. Each knife blade arriving at a predetermined position is supplied by the attendant with a potato which, when the blade arrives at its next position, is quartered by the impact of the plunger id therewith and caused to drop into a suitable distriiniting apparatus hereinafter described. In its next step, the knife leaves the track 38 andfalls into the tank 37, where it is subjected to the action of disinfectant to insure against dissemination of disease from one potato to another. The next step withdraws the knife from the tank and places the same over the drain board to remove the excess disinfectant therefron'i. In the construction at present illustrated, steps are necessary to a complete rotation of the disk 28 and the two remaining steps merely serve to bring the knife to position at which it is again supplied with a potato by the attendant.

Extending transversely of the frame at such a point that it imn'iediately underlies the knife blade, when positioned to be engaged by the plunger, isa relatively thin cross bar 5'? from which a substantially U-shaped frame is suspended by its arms 58. Mounted in bearings .59 and 60 carried by the cross member 57 and the cross bar 61 of the U-shaped frame is a shaft 62. Secured to this shaft is a trunco-conical sleeve 63 having the larger end thereof downwardly disposed. Arranged within this sleeve are a plurality of radially extending partitions G l, the upper ends of which are secured both to the shaft 62 and to the sleeve 63. The lower ends of the outer edges of these partition walls are rotatably shiftable within the sleeve and are provided with adjustment locks 65 whereby they may be secured in adjusted positions. The bottoms of these partitions may be either disposed, so that they are 90 apart or so that they are approximately 72 apart. One of the partitions has associated therewith a false partition wall (56, the top of which is connected with the associated partition, so that it is inseparable therefrom and the bottom of which is adjustable in the same manner in which the partitions are adjusted, but in the opposite direction to the associated partition. This eartition and the false partition wall 105 may be shifted so that their lower ends are separated and a gap is formed therebetween from which materials deposited in the sleeve at the upper end thereof are excluded. The upper ends of aligned partitions at one point 110 in the revolution of the sleeve align with the cross bar 57 and the. knife blades which are positioned for engagement by the plunger and at this time, the remaining vanes are aligned with the knife blade ll.

1t will be obvious that if the plunger engagest-he potato while the sleeve is thus partitioned, the quarter sections formed from the potato will fall. into the compartments formed between the partitions and thus be separated 1 from one another. The shaft 62 is disposed at an angle to the vertical and immediately below the lower end of the sleeve (33, passes through a stationary plate 6'? which is perpendicular thereto. This plate has an opening 68 and a. chute 69 extends from the bottom of the plate at the opening to the space between the Wings 70 of the furrow opener or shoe 2%. linmediatelybelow the plate 67, the shaft 62 has a gear 7i secured thereto, this gear meshing with a gear 72.canried by.a hori zontal shaft 7 3, which islikewise provided; with a sprocket 73. The sprocket 7.35s connectcdchain Teand: a sprocket 75, the.

hub o f'which has connectionat 6 with thel shaft 21 such manner that the gear may partakeof a limited rotation with relation to the shaft. After'thegear has been rotated forthis distance, the pinf? of the connection. positively checks. rotation" and." forces. the. sprocket to rotate with theshaft 21. Secured to the-shaft 21' adjacent the hub of the gear is a fixod collar 781which is connected; with the. gear by a spring 79, which constantly urges. the gear to rotateabout he shaft in thesanie. direction that the shaft is rotating.

Secured to the periphery ot' the sleeve 63: are four cams 80, which, as the aligned partitions 6-1 of" the sleeve al ignwith, the cross, bar 57, come into-engagementwith a spring arm 81 forming a retention clutclrresisting. rotation of the sleeve. This holds the sleeve stationary momentarily agai-nstthe drive of thechain 74, so that a slight pause in the totation of-the sleeveis provided, during which the plunger may engage the potato and. drive the sections thereof into thecompartments of the sleeve. As the tension of the spring; 79.v

increases, it willovercome the tension. of the clutch spring 81 and rotation of the sleeve willcontinue. In event the spring 79 failsto overcome action of the spring 81, the pin 7'? will provide a positive engagen1ent,: insuringv the continued rotation. Just as-soon as the sleeve is freed from the. clutch spring 81, the

bin- 13? 79- will gain ad ance h snreek t to its normal position.

It w ll e o v ous t at he. p tatoes. nsei'te in the compartments of the sleeve will; rest pon he di k. .7. ndw l be pushed; y the partitions therealong until they align with the opening 68 of this disk when they will fall through the sleeve 69 into the furrow formed by the furrow opener. If the false partition wall 66 is arranged against its partition wall, the potatoes will be uniformly spaced, but if separated therefrom, a gap will be left between the plantings of the sections of one potato and the plantings of the succeeding potato. Furrow closers 82 will, of course, be provided for covering the potatoes deposited in the furrow. In the present instance, these are shown as under the control of the feet of an operator occupying the seat 13.

Since it will be obvious that the construction hereinbefore set forth is capable of a certain range of change and modification without materially departing from the spirit of the invention, I do not limit myself to such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim 1. In a potato planter, means for dividing the potatoes into sections comprising a pluposit-ioning the knives, for the cutting operation and means for disinfecting, each knife after-thecutting. operation.

rality of kniizes. and: means for; successively 2. In apctato planter, IIIGELIISLEOIE cutting.

potatoes-into a. plurality. of sections including. a plurality of knives and'meansfor successively positioningthe knives for the cutting.

operation, a disinfectant vat and. means for.

cutting. operation. and. introdncing the knife" tothe vat.

4. 'Inla potatoplanter, a pluralityof cnt-.

tin knives avat a drain board. drainin to.

a a b the vatand means for successively positionv ing each knife for the cutting operation, in; sorting the knife'm the vat and positioning theknife over said drain board.

5. In. a potato-planter, a plurality of cut. tingln iives, disinfectant vat, a plunger, and means for successively positioning each knife to receive a potato to be cut, positioning the knife. with the potato affiiied thereto. beneath the plunger to be engagedtherebyto cutthe potato and introducing the knife to thedisin fe ctant vat.

. 6. In a pota toplanter, a rotatable element bearingknivesadapted to. receive a potato to be'cut, means for impartingastep by step rotation tov the element to successively'bring the knivesto a prfedetermined position and a reciprocating plunger. engaging the potato carriedby eachknife whileinsaid position to. force the potatoesuponthe knife, so. that they are cut thereby.- I

7. Ina potato planter, a rotatable element bearing knives adapted to receive a potato to be cut, means for imparting a step by step rotation to the element to successively bring the knives to a predetermined position, a reciprocating plunger engaging the potato carried by each knife while in said position to force the potatoes upon the knife, so that they are cut thereby and a disinfectant vat into which the knife extends during the step of its rotation succeeding that where it coacts with the plunger.

8. In a potato planter. a rotatable element. bearing knives, means for imparting a step by step rotation to the element, potatoes being applied to said knives during one step of the rotation, a plunger engaging the potato carried by the knife at the completion of the next step to subdivide the potato and a vat into which the knife extends at the completion of the next step of rotation.

9. In a potato planter, a rotatable element,

in vertical planes, a track surrounding the rotatable element against which the knives bear to be supported thereby in horizontal formed therein, a vat positioned beneath said gap to receive the knife as it drops from the track, means forwithdrawing the knife from the vat and repositioning it upon the track, means for applying a step by step rotation to the member and a drain board secured to the vat and draining thereinto over which each knife is positioned by the step of rotation of the member in which the knife is withdrawn from the vat and againengaged with said track.

11. In a potato planter, a rotatable element, a plurality of knives pivoted thereto to swing inevertical planes, a track surrounding the rotatable element against which the knives bear to be supported thereby in horizontal position, said track having a gap formed therein, a vat positioned beneath said gap to receive the knife as it drops from the track means for withdrawing the knife from the vat and repositioning it upon the track, means for applying a step by step rotation to the member, and a plunger oscillating in a vertical plane and engaging each knife as it arrives at a predetermined position to thererotatable element against which the knives bear to be supported whereby in horizontal position, said track having a gap formed therein, a vat positioned beneath said gap to receive the knife as it drops from the track, means for withdrawing the knife from the vat and repositioning it upon the track,

means for applying a step by step rotation to the member, a plunger oscillating in a vertical plane and engaging each knife as it arrives at a predetermined position to thereby force a potato carried thereby downwardly upon the knife to be cut, and a spring cushioning downward movement of the plunger and'elevating the plunger after completion of the stroke thereof to disengage the plunger from the knife and permit continued movement thereof.

13. In a potato planter, a rotatable element bearing knives adapted to receive a potato to be cut, means for imparting a step by step rotation to the element to successively bring the knives to a predetermined position and a reciprocating plunger engaging the potato carried by each knife while in said position to force the potatoes upon the knife, so that they are cut thereby,the spring cushioning movement of the plunger into engagement with the knives and withdrawing the plunger from the knives upon completion of the operating stroke thereof to permit the knives to continue their movement.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature.

HERBERTB. BONEBRIGHT. 

